Please can we bring back the Protector characters?

I'm just going to include the hot take right here up front: I think the protector character has fallen out of style because our society has become extremely focused on the self.

Social media and just modern-day society, in general, has us constantly questioning ourselves: Who am I, who do I want to be, how can I become everything I want to be? And I think because of this, all our characters end up with that same mindset. They wonder who they are, and how they can become everything they want to be.

Thus, characters like the Protector are no longer written because a lot of people no longer wonder instead about how they can help and protect others.

But it's not too late to fix that. ;)

So who is the protector character?

I don't know about you, but when I think of a protector character my mind automatically goes to the gentle giants. Like Fezzik from The Princess Bride. Characters who are big and strong, but are so sweet and care so much about their friends that they would die for them. These are the first to come to my mind, but they're not the only protectors.

Some protectors are the little guy. The guy isn't important, but who stands up for what he believes in and could do this all day even though he is approximately the size of an anchovy.

Some protectors are the group leader. The assertive one. The one who sits down and listens to you when you're hurting and watches everyone's six because he's not even thinking about his own.

Some protectors might make terrible mistakes, but in the end, they remember what matters.

Writing a Protector

The important thing to remember is that the protector comes in all shapes and sizes. They can be anyone. Any height, any species or gender, in any role in the story. The only thing that is absolutely necessary is this: They would guard the ones they love with their very life.

Below are some common traits of the protector. Remember! None of this is written in stone. You're welcome to select some traits for your protector from the list, but none of them are really a must-have.

• Often the leader
  Protectors are often leaders, or become leaders. This is because they tend to take over and give the orders when it comes down to the wire. Maybe they become a leader because everyone looks up to them, maybe they were already a leader and adopted the role of protector from there. It depends on the character, but a lot of the times the protectors are leaders.
• Know responsibility
  The protectors tend to be very responsible people. They're your best bet for pet sitting.
• Know what they want, what their values are
  Many of the protectors are able to look out for others because they aren't preoccupied with looking for themselves. They either already know who they are, or maybe who they are doesn't matter to them. Their own needs fade into the background and they're able to move on to helping others.
• They're just good people
  The protectors, like everyone else, can be conflicted about the right thing to do, but at their cores, they're just good people and they just want everyone to be safe and happy.
• They see protecting as their responsibility
  This is the sad part of the protector characters to me. They see everything as being up to them. To them, looking out for others is their purpose in life, and if they fail at that, they beat themselves black and blue.
• Peacemakers
  Look, they just want their friends to be happy and get along. Is that too much to ask? If given the choice between talking it out and doing battle, they're more likely to go for the peaceful option.
• When they snap, they snap fully
  Building on the previous bullet point, when angered, the protectors are a force to be reckoned with. Let us look again to Boromir. Once he had learned better than to want the Ring of Power, he went back to look out for Merry and Pippin(aka his adopted children), and the man took multiple direct arrow shots before he died. He didn't even die until the flippin' battle was already over!! Do not, repeat, do not anger a protector. They'll end your relationships, they'll end your career, they'll see to it that you'll never eat your favorite food again. Trust me, you liked them better as a peacemaker.

Now that I've written this post, I expect to see more protector characters popping up in stories. And not just in the background; I want them in prominent roles. I want to see them as the best friend, as the dad, as the main character if you can! Can you do that for me? Can you really? Thank you.

Who's your favorite protector character? What are some other characters you don't see anymore? Let's talk in the comments!